Ellsworth -

ELLSWORTH – Fifteen students from across Washington County have been awarded support through the Downeast Scholarship Fund, a collaboration of the Boston Foundation and the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF).

Students from Baileyville, Beals, Bucks Harbor, Calais, Cherryfield, Columbia, Crawford, Gouldsboro, Lubec, and Machias will pursue studies at Maine Maritime Academy, University of Maine, University of Maine at Machias, and Washington County Community College. The students will be seeking degrees in a range of fields, including optometry, mechanical technology, nursing, social work, business management, and accounting.

Through an anonymous donor, the Boston Foundation is making a ten-year commitment to support students in Washington County seeking to further their education beyond high school. The community foundation is administering the scholarship, which meets a major portion of the studentsâ€™ financial need. In the early stages of the fund, a minimum of ten new scholarships will be awarded annually.

Next yearâ€™s deadline for applying is April 15, 2011. Applications and guidelines will be available in January in the â€śFor Studentsâ€ť section of the MaineCF website, www.mainecf.org.

A statewide organization with offices in Ellsworth and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation partners with donors and educators to provide Maine students with access to educational opportunities.